Many foreiners (and Saffas alike) ask us what Swartland means.
This is a nice little explanation.
Swartland, from the Dutch “Het Zwarte Land” (the Black Land). The first explorers to the area called it so because of the endemic Renosterbos (Elytropappus rhinocerotis). After the rains, mainly in winter, the Renoster Bos takes on a dark appearance when viewed from the distance in large numbers. This is due to the fine leaf-hairs adhering to the leaves when wetted.
Now you know…
Decanter has named our Secateurs Chenin as one of their Top 50 great-value wines for under £15.
Read all about it on their page.
Wine writer Tim James and Wine Cellar recently had a blind tasting of French vs Swartland Shiraz-based blends.
James reports: “Shiraz-based blends, not too complicated ones but fresh and delicious, are my own “house red”. If they were eatable, then something between comfort food and an infallible quick-and easy dish; for when a challenge to tired tastebuds or tired spirits is not wanted. Modest wines – in the best sense of a word that is too seldom appropriate in a world of wannabes, of over-oaked, over-ripe, over-everythinged wines. And not too expensive.
So it was not only with the aim of learning something to pass on to others that I asked Roland Peens of the invaluable Wine Cellar in Cape Town to arrange a small comparative tasting of such wines. Half imported by him from the south of France, others from the Swartland – the region which has most assiduously promoted the style locally (including some grand versions but they were not what this tasting was about).”
He concludes that “Coming second by arithmetic, but first for me, was Badenhorst Secateurs 2011 – beautifully just what I wanted: plenty of flavour, but not sweetly fruity, harmoniously balanced with structure – a firm but gentle “grip” so the wine doesn’t flop around in your mouth!”
Read more on Tim’s blog by clicking here. The article also appeared in Mail & Guardian, 28 September-4 October 2012
“db’s Lucy Shaw talks to witty, hirsute Swartland pioneer Adi Badenhorst of A.A Badenhorst Family Wines at Cape Wine 2012 about the Swartland revolution taking place in South Africa, why Rhône varieties are best suited to Swartland’s terroir, and the importance of making wines with a unique identity”
We love this tribute to wine by British writer Joanne Harris. 
Feedback on last week’s Cape Wine event at the Cape Town International Convention Center is looking very positive.
Reading through bloggers and journalists’ accounts of the week in the stormy Cape it seems they had just as much fun as we did.
According to Bizcommunity this year “was the show’s most successful expo to date with producer exhibitors up 15% and visitors reaching a record at just under 1500.”
Says chairman of Wines of South Africa (WOSA), Johann Krige: “Our industry has wowed the international wine community with an exciting and diverse range of quality wines and a fresh and inspiring approach that has demonstrated our world leadership in eco-sustainability and energy-efficiency among wine-producing nations. We showed very effectively that we are making better wines at all price points and that we are making wines, better.”
The Swartland Independent members all had a stall together in the back of the hall. Our funky stand attracted visitors constantly and seemed to be very popular.
“In the Swartland corner, it was exciting and very busy, especially with Adi Badenhorst there to make things happen” – John Ford, read more here.
Emile on Winegoggle simply says “dig the Swartland Grand Funk stand. Mohammed Ali poster and other non-vino artefacts. Cool dudes. I order some chickens from Callie Louw, Porseleinberg. Talk boxing with a chick from the Sandveld, goes by the name of Katrien.”
Rebecca Gibbs reports: “The Swartland has also been turning heads in the past five years and quality of the wines can’t be denied. The Rhone-like blends produced from old bush vines in this Mediterranean climate are original and interesting.”
“It was a jolly good wine show,” says Melvyn Minnaar, “Unlike other crowded wine shows where the ‘commercial’ aspects always seem to linger in the background (‘have you tasted this?, wanna buy some?), and tasters sometimes feel trapped by the expected eyes of the pourer, this show seemed to operate to a different vibe. A friendly fraternity.”
We had lots of fun living it up in the big city of Cape Town for a week. With the farm bakkie in rush hour traffic (once in sunshine with Helena, Eben and American buyer John on the back and once in pouring rain with no windscreen wipers…), dinners at Fork and Dias Tavern (just to keep it diverse) and lots of laughs with old and new friends.
Yesterday we had the mobile bottling unit at the cellar and bottled the 2010 Family Red Blend.
We opened the first few bottles mere hours later and I hear Eben Sadie tell Adi “the 2009 was something special, but with this one you have outdone yourself.”
Indeed!
The Paardeberg locals aka Partyberg regulars convened at Adi’s 40th and made an executive decision to have more parties. “People need to get together for more than just christenings, birthdays and funerals” – says Eben (Sadie).
And so we got together on Kalmoesfontein for the 1st of these “any-reason-to-party” parties- celebrating International Grenache Day (a day early).
Adi, telling us we need to have more parties. No one objected to the motion.
Breyani!
Adi giving us a tour of the gallery, winery.
This is how you open a Paardeberg Perle. Yes that is a hammer.
Most of us had a slow start to the actual Grenache day, but it was well worth it. Hope you celebrate this special grape tonight and have a great (long) weekend (for the South Africans, enjoy “braai day” and make sure there are some good wines to celebrate our great wine heritage.)
A few words from a man of many words. Adi gives some feedback on our spring day brunch / “Secateurs launch”
“Was a moerse lekker kuier on Saturday, I think we had more fun than the guests!
There was enough wine and food to go around. Some people left their cars in Malmesbury with broken gear boxes and still made it to the farm in time and then pitched in to make delicious salads to go with the late afternoon chicken and rabbit pies!
Harry helped plant tomatoes and beans – he will be back in 90 days to collect the harvest – much like he did with the Secateurs (Harry spent a few days on the farm harvesting in February and then came to drink as much as he could of the new release on Saturday!)
Roland from wine cellar even bought a bottle of wine in case ours was not up to scratch! Thanks for the Drouhin Roland!
Melissas staff brought lovely flowers and we now have a very cool collection of Melissas hand-me-down cafe chairs in and around the old house.
In general it was a fantastic bunch of people gathered together on a beautiful Swartland day.”
So there you have it, thanks for all the support and look forward to seeing you all at the next one!
Some photos with love and thanks to Maree Louw, I am sure she snapped pictures while husband Callie braaiied the chickens?
See more photos on Maree’s naturallight photography Facebook album.
Typical Adi, caught on tape. The ever entertaining Harry made a video with the winecellar crew at the August tasting of the Cape Winemakers Guild Auction.
click here to watch the video CWG 2012 Auction tasting.
Our much talked about AA Badenhorst Family Wines Shatoe Ramnasgras 2011 will be going, going, gone!
Badenhorst Family Wines 